Test and Evaluation Community Network (TECNET)

Abstract

The Test and Evaluation Community Network (TECNET) has existed as a means of electronically exchanging unclassified information between Test and Evaluation (T&E) practitioners since 1983. The test and evaluation community in the Department of Defense (DoD) is heavily reliant on telemetry products. Thus, it is no surprise that TECNET deals substantively with telemetering matters. TECNET currently provides unclassified electronic mail, bulletin board, file manipulation and information retrieval services to the Test and Evaluation (T&E) community via an unclassified host computer operated and maintained by the Naval Air Warfare Center - Aircraft Division, Patuxent River, Maryland and a classified host computer located at the Aberdeen Proving Ground, Aberdeen, Maryland. National packet switched network capabilities are provided via the MILNET component of the Defense Data Network (DDN), the Defense Research Engineering Network (DREN) and a the Federal Telephone System for 2000 (FTS -2000) data network. The second TECNET computer provides a system high secret secure capability for TECNET via STU -III dial-up and the Defense Secure Network (DSNET) component of DDN. TECNET is a Joint Service network operating under the auspices of a tri-service Steering Committee which reports to a Board of Operating Directors (BoOD). TECNET supports a number of capabilities for the Range Commander's Council (RCC) community, including all scheduling for the RADCAL satellite. Presently TECNET supports a growing population of over 7,000 validated users from service Program Management Offices (PMO) and both the operational and developmental T&E communities in all the services. In the future TECNET envisions support to test planning, execution and reporting through the use of protected Multi -Level Secure (MLS) communication channels. This capability will dispense meaningfully detailed T&E related data bases and tools. The ability to provide needed, accurate, protected, high integrity, value added information at the right time and place and in the right format with the right amount of detail to the right decision makers adds direct value to the T&E process. In essence, the capability enhances the efficiency of the entire T&E process by making timely T&E information and tools more available to both its practitioners and consumers.